The Farr Side: Time for Madonna to embrace her age

Friday

Madonna has always danced to the beat of her own drum. For the most part, it has served here well.

However, her drive to stay relevant is starting to wear thin. “Madame X” illustrates that.

“Madame X” is Madonna’s 14th studio album and perhaps her most bizarre. It’s a hodgepodge of electronic reggaeton-fused tracks that has no real concept. I’m a diehard Madonna fan so it pains me to say this album does nothing for me - or her, for that matter.

The album’s first single, “Medellin,” isn’t so out-of-the ordinary for “new” Madonna music. The track features Maluma, a huge Latin artist from South America. It’s danceable and rhythmic, but it’s no “La Isla Bonita.” The song seems handcrafted to appease the growing global Latino music market. Only Maluma adds to the song’s appeal.

But just in time for the album’s release comes “Crave” featuring Swae Lee. It’s the best song on the record. What’s even cooler is I heard the track on mainstream radio, something newer Madonna songs have failed to do.

That being said, though, the rest of the album is downright bizarre. She is better than this!

“I Rise” and “I Don’t Search I Find” are relatively lost among strange songs like “Killers Who Are Partying,” and “Batuka.”

I would like to have a conversation with her. It might be time someone offers her some positive, yet critical, advice. I’d start by praising her writing and recording some of the best music ever made and include examples like “Crazy For You,” “Like A Prayer,” “Express Yourself,” “Vogue,” “Live To Tell,” “Ray Of Light” and some others. After all, she’s made some awesome songs during her amazing career.

Then, I’d play up her age. She’s 60, which is not old by any means, especially in this day and age. But there is “60” and then there’s “60-trying-to-be 20.” That’s when things go south. I would tell her she’s Madonna and she doesn’t need to try to be the next big thing - she already has been that. It’s time to embrace her age, but in a manner that rewards her and not one that makes critics, like me, have to write negative reviews.

My dream for Madonna is clear. I know its cliché for artists to do “covers” albums or record an LP of standards. Several have done so and gotten mediocre results. But I’m talking about Madonna doing on “her way.”

Picture this: A double CD. The first disc is entirely cover songs, including signature standards (we know how awesome she was with “Evita”). These tracks should be songs she loves.

Imagine if she took a standard and modernized it without compromising its integrity. The music would be phenomenal. Couple that with her vocal capabilities, it could be magic. Plus, it would introduce the standards to a whole new generation of music lovers.

Disc two would feature a selection of originals rerecorded in the same manner.Why not? Her songs have become part of the fabric of our lives, just like classic standards have. It would bring her music to life for a whole new generation. And those of us who have grown up listening to her music would have reason to celebrate all over again.David T. Farr can be reached at farrboy@hotmail.com.

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